Prediction Locked In

[BonnieBengal]

(09-03-2017, 04:56 PM)Edge Wrote: I hope I eat crow and we see the post season & better, but as a Bengal fan since the birth of this franchise, I've seen the same pattern too many times. This years storyline will be the worst O-line in the league, followed by a vastly underachieving D-line. A game that is won and lost in the trenches will never be more evident than this season with so many talented players in skill positions. For S****n'Gigglz, here's my game by game narrative....let's see how waaay off I am (I really hope so!).

Week 1:  Ravens win 17-12;  Bengals 0-1
Bengals make 2/3 FG's, score a TD but miss the 2pt conversion that would put them within 3 points that could give them a shot to tie the game at the end and go to OT.  Instead, Bengals fall short in a bid to score 6, as the clock hits 00:00

Week 2:  Texans win 19-6;  Bengals 0-2
Bengals offense is anemic, and the O-line woes are front and center as a rough n tumble Texans defense shreads the Bengals offense holding them to less than 200yds of total offense. Bengals 2/2 in FG's, both well over 40+yds.

Week 3:  Packers win 38-17;  Bengals 0-3
Rodgers' first win against the Bengals is finally in hand in easy fashion as the Packers roll at will in the air and on the ground. Bengal offense only manages 7pts, while the defense/ST's account for 10. Serious questions now begin to linger as to how both lines can improve to give the team some kind of fighting chance?

Week 4:  Bengals win 19-17;  Bengals 1-3
Bengals win, against the Browns, it wasn't easy. Bengals up 19-17 with Cleveland having one last shot to kick the game winning FG.....but it sails wide.....game was a hard fought defensive battle.

Week 5:  Bengals win 24-9;  Bengals 2-3
Bengals offense looks better, put 20+ on the board, people are cautiously optimistic that perhaps the ship is righting and both lines are improving.....but this was a dysfunctional Bills team without direction or identity, so a week off then the Squeeler game will show us where we are at....

Week 7:  Steelers win 34-10;  Bengals 2-4
Game was not even as close as the score indicated. Squeelers controlled all aspects of the game - 300+yds passing, 200+ on the ground.....Bengals realizing things in the trenches are bad, as they aquire just north of 200yds of total offense.

Week 8:  Colts win 19-16;  Bengals 2-5
Bengals bounce back nicely from the Pittsburgh fiasco, but lose a tie game at the closing seconds.

Week 9:  Bengals win 26-21;  Bengals 3-5
Bengals win a fun one in Jax. Good protection for Dalton, best all around game for the Bengals on the year....about time.

Week 10:  Titans win 27-10;  Bengals 3-6
Bengals continue to struggle to move the ball as Titans defense seems strikingly as productive as the Texans. Dalton has no time, the run game is stymied, Mariota has a strong outing.

Week 11:  Broncos win 19-13;  Bengals 3-7
Game is ugly. Period. Bengals have several opportunities to win courtesy of Broncos' ineptitude....but something in the thin air just affects Bengals ability to think straight.....or kick straight....2 missed FG's, a botched XP, penalty negating a TD, etc....

Week 12:  Browns win 23-20;  Bengals 3-8
This is the crisis point....Browns gain a signature win coming back from a 17 point deficit, scoring 20 unanswered points on the road, playing average but consistent offense, and solid defense. They are now sitting in front of the Bengals in the standings....a dark day in hell indeed......

Week 13:  Steelers win 26-16;  Bengals 3-9
A far cry from the previous meeting which the Squeelers dominated every aspect of the game, the Bengals make a game of it, but FG's instead of TD's with the inability to stop Pittsburgh's 3rd down conversions doom them to a second straight losing season. Both lines showing improvement

Week 14:  Bengals win 34-17;  Bengals 4-9
Where was THIS Bengals offense all season?? With nothing to play for in Chicago, Bengals put together best game of the year looking like the team many expected. Both lines looking better...is this a trend?

Week 15:  Bengals win 21-14;  Bengals 5-9
Once again, both lines looking good...late, but good. At this point Zimmer's job may be on the hot seat as the Vike's season continues to spiral, Lewis still has no extension, and Bengal fans are speculating/hoping a reunion with Zimmer coming back to coach the Bengals in 2018 is not such a far-fetched idea......doubtful, but it will be out there....

Week 16:  Bengals win 36-33;  Bengals 6-9
A wild finish against the Lions in OT, which shows the O-line working nicely, but exposing the defensive units weakness'...3 in a row, and showing improvement from a terrible first half of the season.

Week 17:  Bengals win 23-17;  Bengals 7-9
Bengals happy moment of the season - they knock the Ratbirds out of wild-card contention.....IN Baltimore no less...

There you have it:  7-9.  

Seriously though, all the above is just my idea of worst case scenario, assuming the Bengals do indeed have a serious issue with the O-line, and even a couple inevitable injuries to key players, throwing the defense on the field far longer than should be giving in to fatigue, etc...entire season hinges on the O-line hanging tough and managing their assignments. Do that, and we see a winning record and hopefully post-season success.

I think losing the first three games with Burfict out is a definite possibility.